Anyone Play a 9-Wood?

[Golfingfanatic]

Ever since I saw Louis use one at the US Open I am tempted to order a G425 Max 9 Wood. Would probably loft it down to 22° and use it as a 3 iron.

[dlygrisse]

I think the shame of carrying one is long gone, the wide use of hybrids and tour pros carrying higher lofted woods has removed a lot of the stigma.  
 

Back in the 70’s and 80’s you weren’t a playa unless you had a 1 iron thru SW. some short knockers like Tom Kite might carry a 4 wood, but a 5 wood was for seniors and a 6 or 7 wood was for old ladies and cripples!  😁. Sure a few guys had gintys but they were hacks.  
 

in all seriousness when Callaway released the Heavenwood back in the late 90’s and a bunch of the senior tour, and a few regular tour guys put it in the bag, it got people thinking. Then hybrids came along. 
 

I mean if Adam Scott and DJ can carry a 7 wood, and you think you are too cool for a 9 wood...

 

 

[ksher84]

On 1/20/2021 at 1:55 PM, JermWRX said:

Play a M4 7HL. 24 degrees. Absolutely love it. So easy to hit. Off the tee, off the deck, doesn’t matter. Ridiculously easy to control the flight. I even use it to get out out of trouble. 175-200 to the green and gotta keep it under a branch? No problem. Back of my stance and drag the club through the zone. Comes out like a rocket. Way easier and more forgiving than hitting a long iron stinger

second this

Such a great club, so easy to control
I have mine in Atmos Stiff

[uglande]

1 hour ago, Golfingfanatic said:

Ever since I saw Louis use one at the US Open I am tempted to order a G425 Max 9 Wood. Would probably loft it down to 22° and use it as a 3 iron.

Was thinking of the same. I love my blade 4 iron but if I'm honest with myself, it's not a wise choice. I also have an HMB 4 iron, but it's still maybe not as useful as a lofted wood could be. And I'm iffy w/ hybrids.

Edited February 4, 2021 by uglande

[animalgolfs]

17 hours ago, ALIF said:

What in the hell kind of snake is that?

King Cobra- this is wrx

[bear87]

I experimented with a 7 wood last year.  Loved it off the deck and in the rough, but did not like it off a tee.  I will try a 9 wood this season too, and if I try it from a tee box, I probably won't use a peg.  They are so easy to hit, and I'm not getting any younger.

[swing33]

I picked up a bonded Epic Flash 9 wood last year, as an experiment of course...LOL. Anyway, I have never really found a hybrid that I feel is automatic, and my 4 iron can be tricky when the weather is cooler and the launch is lower than I would like. This 9 wood has been perfect for me. I can get about 215 out of it when I step on it and the ball flight is towering, so no fear of taking over water into a par 5. When I play with certain guys that play shorter length courses I use it off the tee frequently and it has been far more automatic than any hybrid I have ever owned. 

[Bkgeneral]

I have used a 7 wood for 5+ years.  And would easily carry a 9 wood, but one thing keeps me from it.  4 iron is my go to club to get out of trees, I NEED that club!

[Radeon962]

Played 9w for over 15 years.  Original Callaway Steelhead with a DGX100 Lite steel shaft.  It’s like a 200 yard PW.  Loft is 24*

The ball goes high and straight.  The course we played our league at for many years had 2 par 3’s that played right around 200 yards and the main reason I bought it years ago.

 

I found out it also comes in handy when you push or pull a drive and have 200 some odd yards to the green but have trees between you and the green.  9w takes care of that situation as well.

[Argonne69]

The club is great if you have to hit a big ol draw around a tree. You can safely close the club face and still have plenty of loft to get it airborne. I would struggle trying to do the same with a long iron. 

 

Inversely, I can hit a wicked high cut when I'm in the right rough dealing with trees as long as they don't have low hanging branches. 

 

[uglande]

I started this thread and then after seeing everyone's comments decided to test out a 9 wood (Ping G425). I put my Ventus Blue 7x three-wood shaft in the 9 wood head and choked down the appropriate amount (1.5 inches), so it played stock length. This shaft is not tip trimmed, so it played softer, functioning more like a stiff or soft-stepped stiff.

 

Anyway, the results ... Good god. One of the most memorable experiences I've had hitting a golf club. I honestly don't love the sound of the G425 fairways, and I really didn't like looking down at all that loft on the head (even cranking it down to 22.0), but I hit shot after shot after shot that went ABSOLUTELY DEAD STRAIGHT and landed -- as Trevino used say -- like butterflies with sore feet. 

 

I was hitting it about the same distance as my HMB 4 iron (also 22 degrees), but with super-high launch and spinning like a 5 iron. The height was actually a little excessive but I think a properly tip-trimmed shaft will solve that. I am absolutely putting one of these in the bag (and may rotate it with my HMB depending on course and conditions). 

Edited February 21, 2021 by uglande

[Argonne69]

Play around with ball position and you'll see that you can launch them into the stratosphere, or hit low stingers. I think there's much more versatility than it's given credit for. 

 

[DeadMau5 Golfer]

Haha.  I love the topic!

[DeadMau5 Golfer]

What's the loft on a 9 wood?  Is it comparable to 9 iron or 7 iron?  

[DeadMau5 Golfer]

What is the club designed for?

[platgof]

I thought about a 9 wood, but the G410 hybrids are so stupid easy to hit, no need at all. I play 4-6 hybrid and it covers everything for me. I will add a 5 wood this week, and also have a Heavenwood in the bag, temporarily?

Edited February 21, 2021 by platgof

[Argonne69]

1 hour ago, DeadMau5 Golfer said:

What's the loft on a 9 wood?  Is it comparable to 9 iron or 7 iron?  

 

The Ping G410 9 wood is 23.5 degrees. Probably equivalent to a 3 iron. 

 

I'd say it's designed to be able to get the ball easily into the air for those who generally hit their irons low. 

 

Edited February 21, 2021 by Argonne69

[uglande]

3 hours ago, platgof said:

I thought about a 9 wood, but the G410 hybrids are so stupid easy to hit, no need at all. I play 4-6 hybrid and it covers everything for me. I will add a 5 wood this week, and also have a Heavenwood in the bag, temporarily?

Hybrids are like cilantro -- love or hate, there is nothing else. The day before I tested the G425 fairway, I hit about 25 shots with a G425 hybrid (22.0). I might have hit 2 or 3 decent shots. Maddening. And yet for many golfers, maybe most, hybrids are point-and-shoot magic. I just can't hit them consistently. 

[bladehunter]

On 2/3/2021 at 4:09 PM, animalgolfs said:

 

Blank that!   Nope nope nope.  😳
 

 

on the 9 wood.  I’m shopping for a 7hl or 9 meow.  Don’t know if it will be a ts2 7 adjusted up in loft or a g425 7 . We shall see how they act in a little bit.   
 

want something to fly high and go 10 or so more than my 4 iron.  The 3 hybrid I have in the spot right now is low launch and just doesn’t cover much more ground than my 4 iron.  I could change shaft in it. But I’m not really loving it after getting these new irons dialed in.  

Edited February 22, 2021 by bladehunter

[Titleist_PT23]

18 minutes ago, bladehunter said:

on the 9 wood.  I’m shopping for a 7hl or 9 meow.  Don’t know if it will be a ts2 7 adjusted up in loft or a g425 7 . We shall see how they act in a little bit.   

There is a TSi1 fairway coming at 23.  Not sure if the weighting / CG is going to be any different than the TSi2s.  I have always wanted Titleist to make a TS2/TSi2 24 degree but they never do.

 

Personally, I cannot adjust just one of two like fairways (i.e. 16.5, 21.0 of the same model) up or down in loft.  Less about the face angle (as I would square it) but I always think the shaft angle into the head makes them look different at address.

[mlwenzlick]

Have a heavenwood that I got over the winter that’s really making me think about a 9w. I don’t hit my cb 4 iron well usually either, and every time that I know I get to hit this thing it instantly makes me happy lol. I only wish the rest of my bag was that easy to hit day in and day out 🙃

[mosesgolf]

Yup.  I love mine which replaced the 4 iron.  It is so much easier to hit and elevate.

[Hoyoymac]

Last year I revamped my set-up to improve my club gapping and gain carry distance, height and spin with my longer clubs.  My distances with the 4,5, & 6 irons and 4 hybrid were all pretty similar and I got a low draw with good total distance but poor carry and low height. I was afraid to hit anything above the 6 iron off the fairway if I had to carry any kind of hazard due to lack of confidence.  It meant laying up frequently on certain holes at my course.  

 

Despite having been fit for all of the clubs in my bag, I needed to make some changes to improve my game.  

 

Took out my Titleist TMB 4 iron and replaced it with a Tour Edge XCG7 21 degree 7 wood with a Fujikura Fuel Red 60 gram Stiff shaft.

 

Took out the Titleist 818 H1 21 degree Hybrid with the Tensei Blue shaft and replaced it with the Titleist 818 H1 25 Degree hybrid with the Mitsubishi Tensei Red regular shaft.

 

Took out the Titleist AP3 5 & 6 irons.  Added a Tour Edge XCG7 28 degree hybrid also with the Fujikura Fuel Red Stiff shaft.

 

Liked the Fujikura fuel shaft so much that I I changed the shaft on my Tour Edge EX 10 16.5 degree 4 wood to a Fujikura Fuel Red 60 gram Stiff too.

 

Took out my worn Vokey SM7  54 & 60 and replaced them with Corey Paul 52, 56 & 60 degree wedges.

 

In the process my handicap index declined from 7.5 one year ago to 4.5 today.

 

I now have 5 different brand of clubs in my bag and each club is filling a role and being used.  

 

 My 7 wood is my off the deck club and yesterday according to Arccos my yardages with it ranged from a low of 198 yards to a high of 221 yards.  Great improvement in height, carry and ease of launch.

 

Most of my playing partners now have 7 woods after seeing my results with it.

 

A 9 wood would be a great club to try.  Will have to start looking for one to hit.

 

I appreciate all the encouragement and support that members of the forum gave me during the last year. It gave me confidence to do some tinkering which I had been previously reluctant to do.  Several of the clubs I purchased were pre owned or new old stock bought at low prices since they were non current which was also something I had not done before.

 

Don’t be afraid to try something different.  Whatever works best for you is all that matters.

[Edgewood]

I have one and and i have enjoyed the club so far.  Off the tee and the fairway i am hitting it better than my 4 hybrid.  Out of tall grass, the 9 wood feels a little clumsy.  I might try choking down on those to see what happens.  

The nine wood is just another step towards trying to make the game fun again for me.  

[Argonne69]

11 minutes ago, Edgewood said:

I have one and and i have enjoyed the club so far.  Off the tee and the fairway i am hitting it better than my 4 hybrid.  Out of tall grass, the 9 wood feels a little clumsy.  I might try choking down on those to see what happens.  

The nine wood is just another step towards trying to make the game fun again for me.  

 

My first instinct when hitting out of the rough is to swing steeply and chop down on the ball. Generally this is a mistake. The wood has enough mass and clubhead speed to cut through most rough (unless it's sitting down in some thick cabbage). I get the best results when I simply swing normally 

 

 

[herkyjerk]

I think it’s a specialty club for sure but I love mine.  Not gonna be for everyone.  I haven’t been able to hit a 4 iron in 20 years and I don’t care.  No shame and don’t care about stigmas.  I have a bag of shovels and love them. The only problem is I don’t really have anything for that low punch out of trouble.  Other than that I elevate everything and the game is much more fun. 

[14max]

On 2/21/2021 at 7:37 PM, uglande said:

Hybrids are like cilantro -- love or hate, there is nothing else. The day before I tested the G425 fairway, I hit about 25 shots with a G425 hybrid (22.0). I might have hit 2 or 3 decent shots. Maddening. And yet for many golfers, maybe most, hybrids are point-and-shoot magic. I just can't hit them consistently. 

I love cilantro, I hate, hate, hate a hybrid.  Go figure.

Edit: Oh, and I have a 4/7/9 wood set waiting in the wings when things go south.  Yes, I have a 9 wood...

Edited May 7, 2021 by 14max

[SA Steve]

I have toyed with this quite a bit. Last year, I put a 7 wood in the bag, the Sim Max. I found that I hit it great and quite high, when in the fairway or off a very short tee. I did pull it far more often than I liked, but my real problem is that it was hopeless out of real rough. Just too much head to get through the grass. So, I have gone to hybrids. I used to hate those as well, but I am playing them with heavier shafts at shorter lengths with a bit of lead tape between the rails - obviously cobras - and I find that they go extremely straight and ridiculously high. They are also stunning out of real rough. I can get to the ball, anyway.

 

I did like the high lofted fairways, but I think I would have to do the same thing. I would need to play them at shorter lengths with heavier shafts to get them to play a little better, and it is not so easy to find the shaft or someone to hot melt, at least where I am.

[JungleJimbo]

On 2/22/2021 at 12:24 AM, uglande said:

I started this thread and then after seeing everyone's comments decided to test out a 9 wood (Ping G425). I put my Ventus Blue 7x three-wood shaft in the 9 wood head and choked down the appropriate amount (1.5 inches), so it played stock length. This shaft is not tip trimmed, so it played softer, functioning more like a stiff or soft-stepped stiff.

 

Anyway, the results ... Good god. One of the most memorable experiences I've had hitting a golf club. I honestly don't love the sound of the G425 fairways, and I really didn't like looking down at all that loft on the head (even cranking it down to 22.0), but I hit shot after shot after shot that went ABSOLUTELY DEAD STRAIGHT and landed -- as Trevino used say -- like butterflies with sore feet. 

 

I was hitting it about the same distance as my HMB 4 iron (also 22 degrees), but with super-high launch and spinning like a 5 iron. The height was actually a little excessive but I think a properly tip-trimmed shaft will solve that. I am absolutely putting one of these in the bag (and may rotate it with my HMB depending on course and conditions). 

 

 

https://www.golfwrx.com/709320/photos-of-tommy-fleetwoods-new-9-wood/

 

 

[ahenderX]

I just got a 2022 women’s Stealth 9-wood off e-bay for $78 plus $13 shipping on my first attempt. Pretty sure it’s a demo. I’ll add a Maltby shaft. I’m stoked!